Franchise 500

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The 2022 logo for the Franchise 500

The Franchise 500 is an annual ranking of the top 500 franchising companies in the U.S. and Canada, compiled by Entrepreneur magazine through a submission and review process.[1] The ranking is based on an evaluation of each company's costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.[2] The list includes both public and privately held companies, and has been published annually since 1980.[3][4]

Qualifications

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To be listed in the Franchise 500 issue, franchise companies must complete an online questionnaire, provide their franchise disclosure document, submit a list of all open and operating units, and include their most recent audited financials. To be ranked, a company must have a minimum of 10 units, with at least one located in the United States, and must be actively seeking new franchisees in the U.S. Additionally, the company cannot be in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[5] It is free to participate in the Franchise 500,[6] and Entrepreneur receives over 1000 applications annually.[7]

All qualifying applicants are evaluated and scored based on a formula that incorporates more than 150 data points. These areas include cost and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Applicants with the highest cumulative scores will become the Franchise 500.

Besides the broad Franchise 500 ranking, Entrepreneur uses the submitted data to create lists for specialized categories, including "Fastest-Growing Franchises," "Best of the Best," and "Top New & Emerging Franchises."[8] In previous editions, industry-specific lists were also available. For example, under "Automotive," there were several subcategories, including "Appearance Services," "Oil Change Services," and "Rentals and Sales."[9]

Rankings

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  • Franchise 500 – overall ranking of the most successful franchise companies of the year.[10]

Additional Rankings

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  • Top Franchises for Veterans – franchises offering startup incentives for veterans
  • Fastest-Growing Franchises – franchises with the greatest unit growth in the U.S. and Canada
  • Fastest-Growing International Franchises – franchises with the greatest unit growth outside the U.S. and Canada
  • Top New & Emerging Franchises – franchises that have been franchising for five years or less
  • Top Global Franchises – franchises seeking to expand outside the U.S.
  • Top Franchises for Less Than $50k – franchises that can be started for less than US$50,000
  • Top Franchises for Less Than $100k – franchises that can be started for less than US$100,000
  • Top Franchises for Less Than $150k – franchises that can be started for less than US$150,000
  • Best of the Best – franchises that ranked in this year's Franchise 500 and also ranked #1 in their respective industries
  • Top Food Franchises – franchises that ranked in this year's Franchise 500 and are also ranked #1 in their respective category
  • Top Part-Time Franchises – franchises that can be run part-time or without full-time commitment
  • Top Home-Based & Mobile – franchises that can be run from home or vehicle (with no need for office, retail or warehouse space)
  • Top Franchises for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion – franchises promoting diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Top Brands for Multi-Unit Owners – franchises offering incentives for underrepresented groups

2025 list

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In 2025, the ten companies that ranked at the top of the 500 were:[11]

Rank Company Headquarters Industry Franchises
(U.S.) 		Total units
(Global) 		Investment
(US$)
1 Taco Bell United States Irvine, California Food and Beverage 6,418 7,567 $611K – $4M
2 Jersey Mike's Subs United States Manasquan, New Jersey Food and Beverage 2,823 2,861 $204K – $1.3M
3 Dunkin' Donuts United States Canton, Massachusetts Food and Beverage 9,548 13,790 $436K – $1.8M
4 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen United States Miami, Florida Food and Beverage 3,087 4,796 $471K – $3.9M
5 Ace Hardware United States Oak Brook, Illinois Hardware stores 4,830 5,965 $602K – $2M
6 The UPS Store United States San Diego, California Shipping 5,286 5,693 $216K – $609K
7 Culver's United States Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin Food and Beverage 1,020 1,020 $2.6M – $8.6M
8 Wendy's United States Dublin, Ohio Food and Beverage 5,622 7,282 $310K – $2.8M
9 Hampton By Hilton United States McLean, Virginia Hotel chain 2,364 3,040 $15.2M – $25.9M
10 Kumon United States Rutherford, New Jersey Education 1,701 25,563 $73,123 – $165K

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Franchise 500 Ranking". Entrepreneur. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  2. ^ "Understanding the Ranking". Entrepreneur. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "About the Franchise 500®". Entrepreneur. 2013. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013.
  4. ^ "Entrepreneur Magazine's 41st Annual Franchise 500® Released". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  5. ^ "What are the qualifications for the Franchise 500®?". help.entrepreneur.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  6. ^ "Is there a fee to participate in the Franchise 500®?". help.entrepreneur.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  7. ^ "Entrepreneur Magazine Releases 40th Annual Franchise 500 List | United Franchise Group". unitedfranchisegroup.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  8. ^ "Entrepreneur's Franchise Explorer – Franchise Opportunity Listings and the Franchise 500 Rankings". Entrepreneur. More Franchise Rankings. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  9. ^ Center, Franchisee Resource. "Understanding Franchise Opportunity Rankings: The Entrepreneur Franchise 500". Franchisee Resource Center. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  10. ^ "Franchise 500 Franchises | Entrepreneur.com". Entrepreneur. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  11. ^ "Franchise 500 Franchises | Entrepreneur.com". Entrepreneur. Retrieved July 22, 2025.